Aldric and Darius walked down the main street of Arkan City. The urban bustle still filled every street corner; merchants were busy offering their wares, while adventurers passed back and forth with weapons slung at their waists.In the middle of the journey, Aldric suddenly spoke up, "Darius.""Yes, Master?" Darius turned immediately, focusing his attention.Aldric glanced at him from behind his mask. "Speaking of the official identity we discussed earlier... Perhaps one day I will use your identity."Darius blinked in confusion. "My identity? For matters that strictly require an official identity?" He furrowed his brow. "But why not use Master's own identity?"Aldric smiled thinly, though the smile was hidden behind his mask. "Because I don't want too many people knowing about my presence."Darius fell silent. The answer didn't truly answer his question. However, the longer he knew Aldric, the more he realized one thing: the man in front of him was shrouded in secrets that he didn't

The Guild Master’s office felt far quieter and more authoritative compared to the noisy Monster Trading Hall outside. Inside the oak-paneled room, Aldric sat casually in one of the leather chairs, while Darius stood firmly behind him. Across the desk sat the Guild Master, while the stoutly built middle-aged man serving as the Vice Guild Master chose to stand near a large window with his arms folded over his chest.For a few moments, silence enveloped the room. The Guild Master's sharp gaze kept observing Aldric's movements. The masked youth in front of him felt truly anomalous. There was no ripple or aura of mana that he could sense from Aldric's body.However, the three D-Rank monster carcasses the youth had brought were clearly no coincidence, especially since the way those monsters had been executed indicated a level of strength far above that of the average D-Rank adventurer."Young man," the Guild Master finally broke the silence with his heavy baritone voice.Aldric raised his h

"Don't just stand there like a statue by the door," Aldric said, giving Darius’s back a gentle nudge to guide him further into the shop.Left with no choice, Darius resigned himself to follow his master’s lead. The moment they stepped inside, several neatly uniformed shop assistants approached them and bowed politely. "Welcome to our shop. How may we assist you today?"Aldric gave a formal nod, then pointed a finger toward Darius. "Find the best set of clothes that suits this man."Darius panicked instantly. "M-Master, there is no need for the best! Ordinary clothes are more than enough!"Aldric dismissed the protest with complete indifference. "Include a set of protective body gear as well.""That is far too expensive, Master!" Darius lost his composure even more as he caught sight of the price tags on display. Yet, once again, Aldric acted as though he had not heard a single complaint.A few moments later, the staff began bringing out and showcasing various types of combat attire be

The room they rented had adequate facilities; one spacious room with two separate beds that looked comfortable. As soon as the wooden room door was tightly closed and locked from the inside, the atmosphere around them instantly changed to be much calmer and private, completely the opposite of the hustle and bustle of Arkan City's streets, which could still be faintly heard outside.Darius took a seated position on one of the wooden chairs available in the corner of the room, while Aldric walked slowly toward the large window that faced the street. For a few moments, neither of them opened their mouths to speak. Until finally, Aldric let out a long breath that sounded quite heavy."Wearing this mask constantly turns out to be quite tiring," Aldric complained softly. Darius reflexively turned his head toward the window. However, before he could process or ask what the meaning of those words was, Aldric had already raised one of his hands toward his face.Slowly, Aldric removed the Kirin

Aldric smiled thinly behind his mask. He ignored Darius's surprise. "Alright, Nero's matter is settled. Now, let us return to the initial topic. Continue your story that was interrupted earlier."The look on Darius's face instantly changed to become highly serious. The ripple of panic due to Nero's appearance suddenly vanished, replaced by a heavy clump of emotion. He stayed silent for quite a long time, looking at his own fingers before finally opening his mouth again."I have been a slave since I was very small. At that time, I was placed to work at a luxury residence belonging to a nobleman in this Arkan City.""So, you were born from a slave family?" Aldric asked.Darius shook his head firmly. "No, Master. My family was initially free people.""Then, how did you end up at the auction block?""It all started with debt," Darius drew a short breath. "Actually, in the past we were not a poor family. Our life was classified as quite good and sufficient. My father worked as a small merc